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[ ..... ]
...in the barest sense of the word, there is. [ that darkness in his expression stays; he finally moves, though, shifting just enough to look at the cat in his lap and pet it on the top of the head, just for the sake of distraction. ]
Do you remember anything about the shadows, from the week that I executed Four?
...in the barest sense of the word, there is. [ that darkness in his expression stays; he finally moves, though, shifting just enough to look at the cat in his lap and pet it on the top of the head, just for the sake of distraction. ]
Do you remember anything about the shadows, from the week that I executed Four?
[...]
I remember something about a virus and a vaccine...
[And a chorus of desperate, pleading voices. The melting shadows. The syringe.]
I remember something about a virus and a vaccine...
[And a chorus of desperate, pleading voices. The melting shadows. The syringe.]
...The strain of the Rainbow Virus that made me possible is the same one that allowed those genetic experiments to continue. It is capable of burning a body down to its barest components, rotting their cellular structure, and then using the shell of what's left to rebuild again. Like melting down iron and turning it into a sword.
[ it's easier to explain that information clinically and scientifically, at least, though lu bixing's cloudy expression hasn't changed. ]
...It is only through using strains of the virus to rebuild that any sort of genetic transfer was remotely successful. And it came at an impossible cause of pain and suffering to others with very rare success. You would have to be, quite literally, brought nearly to the point of death and then reconstructed, piece by painful piece, and every second that the Rainbow Virus existed could be a second that it leaks out of a lab and destroyed an entire galaxy.
[ it's easier to explain that information clinically and scientifically, at least, though lu bixing's cloudy expression hasn't changed. ]
...It is only through using strains of the virus to rebuild that any sort of genetic transfer was remotely successful. And it came at an impossible cause of pain and suffering to others with very rare success. You would have to be, quite literally, brought nearly to the point of death and then reconstructed, piece by painful piece, and every second that the Rainbow Virus existed could be a second that it leaks out of a lab and destroyed an entire galaxy.
[Zelgadis studies Lu Bixing as he speaks, the tension plain on his face. He swallows.]
But that... then there is a way, it just...
[He wants to rationalize it. He wants to make it work in theory. Because he needs it to work. Something has to work.]
-- What do you mean, an entire galaxy?
But that... then there is a way, it just...
[He wants to rationalize it. He wants to make it work in theory. Because he needs it to work. Something has to work.]
-- What do you mean, an entire galaxy?
...The virus itself was leaked from a laboratory in the Eighth Galaxy called the Reinberg Lab. The unchecked destruction of the Rainbow Virus killed 3.8 billion people, in the Eighth and inflicted suffering on countless billions of others. It's extremely contagious and extremely deadly and it took decades to get the infection under control in the normal population: that happened not long before I was born.
[ lu bixing delivers this in that same way - scientific, serious. quiet. he doesn't touch on the way he was 'born', for both of their sakes. ] Not only that, but once it was discovered it could be used in that way - [ a slight nod to where the screen sits ] - the people who ran the Nuwa Project began trafficking adult and children left and right to use as genetic experiments along with it. The death toll is staggeringly high.
One little life, traded for billions of others.
[ lu bixing delivers this in that same way - scientific, serious. quiet. he doesn't touch on the way he was 'born', for both of their sakes. ] Not only that, but once it was discovered it could be used in that way - [ a slight nod to where the screen sits ] - the people who ran the Nuwa Project began trafficking adult and children left and right to use as genetic experiments along with it. The death toll is staggeringly high.
One little life, traded for billions of others.
That's...
[It's an unfathomable number of people. Billions.
...]
That's it, then...? It's hopeless?
[It's an unfathomable number of people. Billions.
...]
That's it, then...? It's hopeless?
...It's about what you can live with.
[ he says, quietly. so. it's up to zelgadis, really, if it's hopeless, or not. ]
In certain conditions, it might be different. Under the hands of a different scientist. [ his own hands? is he arrogant enough to think that? lu bixing isn't sure. ] It wouldn't be easy, and there's no guarantee you'd survive it, either.
So... I don't know. Your condition was also caused by magic, and not by science. I wouldn't even begin to know where to start, with that.
[ he says, quietly. so. it's up to zelgadis, really, if it's hopeless, or not. ]
In certain conditions, it might be different. Under the hands of a different scientist. [ his own hands? is he arrogant enough to think that? lu bixing isn't sure. ] It wouldn't be easy, and there's no guarantee you'd survive it, either.
So... I don't know. Your condition was also caused by magic, and not by science. I wouldn't even begin to know where to start, with that.
It may be closer to science than magic, in some ways. Though executed with magic... the theory, the preparations, are scientific in nature.
[He stares into the darkness of the blank screen.]
... I've spoken to numerous chimera researchers on the subject. I remember one likened his craft to that of drinkmaking. Said that it's simple enough to combine ingredients, as he poured his juice into my ale... but to then remove the juice, and only the juice? It would simply be too difficult, to the point of calling it impossible. I'm sure it was the first nonalcoholic thing he'd had to drink all day... but I often remember that encounter.
[He ruined Zel's drink. And spilled juice on his clothes.]
I know well that any process to unmake a chimera would likely be a difficult one. That it could involve stripping this body down to its core components and remaking it. The pain and the risk... those are things I've prepared myself for a long time ago.
[He stares into the darkness of the blank screen.]
... I've spoken to numerous chimera researchers on the subject. I remember one likened his craft to that of drinkmaking. Said that it's simple enough to combine ingredients, as he poured his juice into my ale... but to then remove the juice, and only the juice? It would simply be too difficult, to the point of calling it impossible. I'm sure it was the first nonalcoholic thing he'd had to drink all day... but I often remember that encounter.
[He ruined Zel's drink. And spilled juice on his clothes.]
I know well that any process to unmake a chimera would likely be a difficult one. That it could involve stripping this body down to its core components and remaking it. The pain and the risk... those are things I've prepared myself for a long time ago.
[ time to be nerdy in the garden
by which i mean, here's lu bixing! he's standing in the garden with his hands on his hips, looking up at a big, huge mushroom. when he spots zelgadis, though, he gives him a wave. ]
Hey, Zelgadis! Having fun exploring?
by which i mean, here's lu bixing! he's standing in the garden with his hands on his hips, looking up at a big, huge mushroom. when he spots zelgadis, though, he gives him a wave. ]
Hey, Zelgadis! Having fun exploring?
[zelgadis glances over and nods to acknowledge him.
walking alongside him is a small black kitten with a blue ribbon. she runs right up to that mushroom and attempts to climb up the side of it.]
Not as much as she is.
walking alongside him is a small black kitten with a blue ribbon. she runs right up to that mushroom and attempts to climb up the side of it.]
Not as much as she is.
I suppose so...
[Given the shape of the mushroom, there's probably no way she'll get to the top... but she's having fun scraping her way upward anyway.]
She's always been in a world that was built for something bigger than her. Perhaps that's why she seems so fearless here.
[It's harder for human-sized people to adapt, when they're used to everything being made to suit them. The kitten, evidently, has no such expectations of her surroundings.]
[Given the shape of the mushroom, there's probably no way she'll get to the top... but she's having fun scraping her way upward anyway.]
She's always been in a world that was built for something bigger than her. Perhaps that's why she seems so fearless here.
[It's harder for human-sized people to adapt, when they're used to everything being made to suit them. The kitten, evidently, has no such expectations of her surroundings.]
[looks up. looks at lu bixing.]
You're joking, right?
You're joking, right?
Not really...
You think it's even possible to get to the top? [If it's mushroom-shaped...]
You think it's even possible to get to the top? [If it's mushroom-shaped...]
I won't know unless I try, right? I wish I had my grappling hook.
[ why does lu bixing have a grappling hook. ]
Maybe if I fight off that evil octopus I can steal its suckers. [ THIS IS A JOKE ] But - there's so much giant stuff around here, I bet we could forage up something to make an acceptable one!
[ why does lu bixing have a grappling hook. ]
Maybe if I fight off that evil octopus I can steal its suckers. [ THIS IS A JOKE ] But - there's so much giant stuff around here, I bet we could forage up something to make an acceptable one!
A makeshift grappling hook? [He looks thoughtful.] Actually, that could be doable...
I was thinking the same thing.
[he... looks over to a nearby house.
... fuck it, let's make a grappling hook.]
[he... looks over to a nearby house.
... fuck it, let's make a grappling hook.]
[Well, it's the evening and Zelgadis couldn't even bring himself to go somewhere to drink. He's just out on a bench somewhere, looking absolutely hollow and miserable. A pile of black and blue flower petals are on the ground around his feet.
He glances up to see Lu Bixing, and he looks away again.]
You don't have to say anything. I've made a mess of things.
He glances up to see Lu Bixing, and he looks away again.]
You don't have to say anything. I've made a mess of things.
[ oh, well. this is one of those things where he's not sure if it's a good idea to approach, and for someone who is so confident and in control of his emotions, he hesitates for a long, long time.
and eventually, when he makes his way over, he does sit down, and talks like, almost at the same time as zelgadis - he has to stop himself, sucking a breath, but when he speaks up, he just says: ]
I'm so sorry. [ before anything else, because that's what he wants to say. nothing about zelgadis making a mess, no blame, no words of sacrifice, just a miserably genuine and honest apology, laden with the weight of the sheer suffering of the past two hours especially. ]
and eventually, when he makes his way over, he does sit down, and talks like, almost at the same time as zelgadis - he has to stop himself, sucking a breath, but when he speaks up, he just says: ]
I'm so sorry. [ before anything else, because that's what he wants to say. nothing about zelgadis making a mess, no blame, no words of sacrifice, just a miserably genuine and honest apology, laden with the weight of the sheer suffering of the past two hours especially. ]
[......
He wasn't expecting that. And in an instant, it just brings up a swelling of a whole lot of emotions he was only barely suppressing.]
Don't be an idiot.
[He finally says, but it sounds like he has to choke out the words.]
He wasn't expecting that. And in an instant, it just brings up a swelling of a whole lot of emotions he was only barely suppressing.]
Don't be an idiot.
[He finally says, but it sounds like he has to choke out the words.]
I shouldn't have said anything. I - it just reminded me so much of what happened with Lin, I couldn't - I couldn't stand by it, it would've been sending either of you to the gallows either way, and I...
[ the words start to tumble out of his mouth before he really has any control of them, but - it's okay. lu bixing's always been so, so compassionate, and this is no different than that. he's not as composed as he was in that room, because the talk of self sacrifice, the misery on tuuri's face, hit so deeply home that it rattled him, hard. and he can now only imagine how zelgadis must be feeling. the bottom of the earth.
he inhales, sharply, tries to compose himself. ] ...All that talk, and it's still so wrong. I'm not an idiot, I owe you an apology.
[ the words start to tumble out of his mouth before he really has any control of them, but - it's okay. lu bixing's always been so, so compassionate, and this is no different than that. he's not as composed as he was in that room, because the talk of self sacrifice, the misery on tuuri's face, hit so deeply home that it rattled him, hard. and he can now only imagine how zelgadis must be feeling. the bottom of the earth.
he inhales, sharply, tries to compose himself. ] ...All that talk, and it's still so wrong. I'm not an idiot, I owe you an apology.
It doesn't matter. You weren't entirely wrong. Not that my position's changed any...
[He still thinks he should be the one on the chopping block.]
... What happened with Lin?
[He still thinks he should be the one on the chopping block.]
... What happened with Lin?
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